1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to warning light systems and, particularly, to the integration of wide-angle warning lights with rear-view mirrors. More specifically, this invention is directed to improvements in the structure and assembly technique of combined externally mounted rear-view mirrors and forward facing strobe lights. Accordingly, the general objects of the present invention are to provide novel and improved apparatus and methods of such character.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Lighting systems for mounting on the exterior of police and other public safety vehicles have long been known in the art. The most popular form of exterior lighting for emergency vehicles is the light bar. A typical light bar assembly, as exemplified by the disclosure of U.S. Pat. No. 4,620,268, has a plurality of lights arranged on a support which spans the roof of a vehicle. Light bars are desirable because of their ability to provide a wide variety of highly visible light radiation patterns. However, the relatively large size of a light bar and its location on the roof of an official vehicle increases wind resistance, often increases vehicle height and makes the vehicle easier to identify from a distance. In circumstances where it is necessary or desirable for an official vehicle to be inconspicuous, the use of a conventional roof-mounted light bar is particularly undesirable.
Warning lights employed on public safety vehicles, when energized, must produce a highly visible display. As discussed herein, a highly visible display is one which produces a high intensity illumination pattern and, particularly, a wide angle divergent light pattern which will minimize the possibility of a collision at an intersection.
Warning lights used on "unmarked" police cars have previously taken a variety of forms. These lights have included rotating beacons and strobe lights which will typically be transported, and often mounted, within the interior of the vehicle, lights mounted behind the front grille of a vehicle and headlight/taillight assemblies which may include flashers and/or high intensity light sources which can be intermittently energized. While these prior art types of relatively inconspicuous lights have all found acceptance in the law enforcement community, the users thereof have expressed a desire for enhanced visibility at large angles relative to the direction of vehicle travel. Thus, there has existed a need for an emergency vehicle light configuration which is both (1) relatively inconspicuous when the lights are not illuminated; and (2) highly conspicuous after the lights have been illuminated, particularly when viewed from the side of the vehicle on which installed.
The above-discussed need has been satisfied by integration of a forward facing, wide angle, strobe light with the externally mounted rear-view mirrors found on most vehicles. Such an integrated warning light and rear-view mirror is described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,660,457.
The warning light system of above-referenced U.S. Pat. No. 5,660,457 has been very successful. The combined warning light subassembly and mirror disclosed in the Patent, however, suffers from the disadvantage of requiring a different mechanical fastening arrangement for each model vehicle. For aesthetic reasons, automobile manufacturers frequently change the size and shape of externally mounted mirrors and the need to make similarly frequent changes in the mechanics of the warning light subassembly presents a significant economic disadvantage. Also, the system disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,660,457 contemplates that the housing of the external mirrors supplied with a vehicle will include a removable trim piece, at the forwardly facing side, and the warning light subassembly will replace this trim piece. The rear-view mirrors of many current production vehicles, however, have a unitary molded mirror housing which would require significant modification in order to permit use of the integration technique described in the Patent.